On the Rhine
by DancingInTheGrey
Summary: Agron is your typical star high school student - captain of the football team, member of a well-respected family, and everyone who's anyone wants to be his friend. Nasir is not. Yet, as these two meet in a collision of personalities, attitudes, and stereotypes, they might just learn something about themselves and each other. A story of self-actualization and young love. AU.


**Hello!**

 **This story is just a little bit of an inspiration to me as I finished watching the show Spartacus and my heart was taken away by Agron and Nasir. It's not much but I hope you like it. It's definitely AU and both Agron, Nasir, and the rest of the gang who came along are in high school. Please enjoy and comment what you think!**

Agron was…content.

Why wouldn't he be? He was the star player of one of his town's high schools and as the other was believed to be a complete and utter joke among those who mattered, he could therefore be considered the best senior football player in small Solace and was practically expected, if not guaranteed, a scholarship to any university he desired once the season truly started in the fall. Even if the scholarship would somehow slip through the cracks, money was not a problem for the Schmidt household with his mother being the one and only cardiothoracic surgeon at Solace Memorial and father acting as a prominent, well-respected member of the Church; there were not many in the town who didn't know of the Schmidt's. People flocked to him as if he was a magnet, an attraction that always seemed to bring money, popularity, and beauty together into one predictable clique, and he was its king. Problems such as waiting in the cafeteria line or having to worry about not having someone to compare homework answers with (when he actually did his own assignments) were never a hassle.

So, why wasn't he happy? He had an amazing life that some pray for – money, cars, sports, God, friends, and don't forget the girls. Being on the football team, among other sports, for years, he'd earned a strong, built form, which accompanied by his tall stature and bright green eyes, attracted many to try and earn a spot at his side. He wasn't a prude and fooled around with a few from time to time though every time, it was nothing serious. He was waiting for someone special, someone who wasn't those girls.

Agron turned into East Solace High's parking lot and swerved his Mustang into his designated spot in the front row. Although students were technically not allowed to claim certain slots, he did. No one dared argue with him and if someone tried raising an issue, his friend Crixus would quickly shush them. The meathead wasn't exactly rich nor charismatic but earned his popularity from scare tactics, bullying, and sucking up to those above him, like Agron. The football captain didn't really mind as he found Crixus to be practical in some situations and simply tolerated his presence though he at times wanted to punch the steroid-ridden douche himself for the comments that came out of his mouth

Like expected, Crixus stepped out from the shadows of an oak tree across the street from the school and, tossing a cigarette butt into the gravel and crushing it under his heel, jogged over to Agron. He was almost as tall as Agron but not quite, though that difference was made up in muscle mass, which showed from the one-size-too-small shirts he wore that were always absent of sleeves. In a fight, even Agron doubted he could take the guy so he preferred the young man as an ally rather than foe.

"Hey," said Agron, shifting his backpack on his broad shoulders. "What's up with the cigarette near school?"

"Mom freaked out on me for doing it at the – err, house this morning so I had no other choice," Crixus explained, shooting a quick glance at Agron, who kept his affect nonchalant. He knew that his friend wasn't very well off and lived in a trailer with just him and his mom but as Crixus seemed bothered by it, Agron never brought it up much.

"You could've stopped along the road or something. If Oenomaus caught you smoking on school grounds again, you'd be so fucked, dude. You know how Coach is with maintaining a decent public profile," intoned Agron for the countless time but the meathead never seemed to get it engrained into his mind. Half the time, he hoped Crixus would get caught and kicked off the football team but he was a decent player so it was a half-hearted prayer.

"Yeah, yeah – I know." Crixus looked glum, like a dejected child but perked up almost instantly. "Hey, want to know who texted me last night?"

Agron barely controlled himself enough to not roll his eyes. "Let me guess: Saxa?" Saxa was a girl who Crixus has been obsessed with since junior high and talked about everyday as if she was a mystical being instead of a pretty, albeit aggressive, volleyball player whose attitude rivaled a hungry bobcat. She often sat with them at lunch but Crixus would always fall thankfully silent and shoot her hopeful looks from the corner of his eyes, which she often consciously ignored to her amusement.

"Dude, how you know?" asked Crixus, almost suspiciously, but Agron just shrugged and the other young man continued. "Anyway, so she was texting me last night and I guess her father is a member of the School Board and he told her that West Solace High" – he spat on the ground – "has to be closed down for a while as they found asbestos or some shit in the walls."

This was news to Agron. "Really? Where are the students going then for school?"

"Most of them losers are coming here is what she found out," Crixus said, an expression of disgust crossing his broad face. "Filth staining our halls with their mediocrity." Agron was just surprised he knew how to pronounce 'mediocrity' nonetheless use it in a sentence appropriately. "That's what Saxa said, anyway." Ah-ha! "Her father didn't say how long it would be that we have to deal with the little fuckers."

 _Who cares?_

Agron honestly didn't care about students from West Solace High, or believe they were scum or people born tragically "on the wrong side of the tracks" as a few of his father's friends were want to say in hushed tones as if it was a subject not to be spoken about. He simply just had never met any of them except in sport competitions and they usually weren't much of a challenge, the tension and rivalry between the schools restricting conversation except for your basic heckling.

As Crixus continued his one-sided rant to himself, Agron simply supplied him with nods and "Uh-huhs" at random intervals but he wasn't paying attention as something else caught his attention while they loitered in the courtyard for the bell to ring. A white bus was pulling up alongside the curb in front of the school and tattered letters on the side read **West Solace High** in bland, block calligraphy, and students were starting to get out. At this point, Crixus went silent and he glared as the high school kids awkwardly got out and looked at the school, some shyly peering around the courtyard, with expressions twisting between boredom to nervousness to disgust, rivaling Crixus' own countenance.

"I didn't think they would be here so damn soon, fuck!" Crixus said and not too softly as his voice carried and his statement was met with a few laughs from Easters and frowns from Westers, who glared in their direction.

Agron swept them all with a bored gaze as if expecting them to be different in some form or another, a reason behind the prejudice, but found them exactly how he assumed they would appear – like high school students. Some wore regular shirts and jeans, some girls decided to wear skirts or shorts, some boys wore hoodies and running shorts, and whatever mix happened to fall in between. Yet, one figure caught Agron's eye as he was the last to jump down from the bus, the door shutting with a creaky screech and clang as he landed on the pavement gracefully.

He was short, almost ridiculously so if compared to Agron, and lithe, not exactly skinny but all sinew and muscle, as if he needed nothing else. Compared to the white of the bus behind him, he was like a silhouette against the sun, a dark blur of black jeans, a navy blue hoodie with the hood pulled down low over his face, and Converses that only had a slim strip of white around the shoes' base, faded to grey by wear and tear. Raven black hair spilled out from underneath the hood and the boy tugged it away from his head revealing a thin face, delicate yet hard with aquiline features, and brown eyes flaring in the morning sun.

He was…He was beautiful.

Agron's stomach flipped uncertainly and he licked his lips, finding his mouth suddenly dry. He didn't know why but the newcomer caught his attention, fascinated with him as he had never seen a guy like him before. Boys at East Solace High were basically all the same – short haired, Bieber, or styled with enough hair gel to bind concrete. Clones, repeats, typical. Not him though, he was different, and not just because of his looks; there was a certain languidness to the way he moved, easy and unrestricted, as if nothing bothered him, as if he didn't care.

Crixus too was looking at the long-haired boy but not with benign interest, an expression of distaste and confusion on his face. "Is that a dude or a really ugly chick?" Again, he didn't check his voice and his words carried over the hushed sound of nervous chattering and backpacks being squirmed with. The boy, who was standing close to them at the edge of the Westers' crowd, turned his head and flashed Crixus a look but didn't say anything, simply crossing his arms and looking away as if he was waiting for something or someone. Yet, Agron noticed a slight flush of his checks, making his slightly dark skin deepen as he watched the white bus drive away.

Crixus saw this and his face flushed angrily; he was not one to be ignored when confronting someone. Tossing his bag on the ground, he stormed up behind the newcomer. "Hey, Wester! Did you hear me when I asked you a question?"

He appeared as if he considered not turning around but he deigned and slowly turned on the back of his heels, facing Crixus with a cool expression, which was either admirable or foolish as Crixus loomed over him by at least a foot. The boy cocked an eyebrow, completely unfazed. "I'm sorry, what's that? I don't speak troll."

There was a stunned silence among the courtyard, especially from the Easters who knew of Crixus and his infamous reputation, and Agron felt a slow sinking feeling in the bottom of his stomach for the poor boy. Then a slow chuckling came from the crowd of new students and Crixus, whose eyes went wide in an almost comical expression, flared an ever deeper ugly shade of red.

"You fucker!" Crixus snarled and took a step forward while the boy kept his stance. "I can't even tell if you're a boy or girl with that long hair of yours." The boy finally showed emotion as the last comment made him tuck in his chin slightly, face almost turning the same color as Crixus; the taller boy looked pleased with himself and continued cruelly. "So, what is it then? Are you a fucking fag or a damn dyke?"

The boy pursed his lips but didn't comment.

Agron wanted to step in and do something but he couldn't. Interfering now would only make Crixus angry with him and he preferred to keep the brute on his good side but the boy seemed so small, so unaware of the hole he was digging himself in.

"Huh? Can't you say nothing? Didn't they teach you how to speak English over there in that shit show of a high school you go to?" Crixus barraged him with questions, the boy's silence only encouraging the verbal banter. He smiled nastily. "Or did all that fucking asbestos rot your brain to mush, you fucking pansy? Huh?"

The boy snapped.

Agron barely saw him move. There was a swift blur of black, a sweeping of a leg, and Crixus went down like a ton of bricks, falling upon his back against the hard concrete. The boy, who wasn't even breathing hard, had his knee on the other boy's throat, face expressionless. He bent down and spoke slowly, voice carrying in the courtyard so everyone could hear. "One, I am a fucking guy as you already knew before you started this shit. Two, don't you know you shouldn't use a double negative when speaking? Three, asbestos is a carcinogen that primarily affects your lungs, not your brain. Four, my name is Nasir and I brought you down without even trying so get out of my face. Understand?"

Crixus was practically purple, though probably from rage than suffocation, and he glared murderously at Nasir. He raised his hands to throw him off but Nasir pressed down slightly, shaking his head. "None of that – do you understand me?"

The football player eventually gave in and moved his head marginally in what could have been a nod. Nasir seemed content and removed his leg, bouncing up and away from Crixus just as another white bus pulled onto the curb and more Westers got out, adding more students to the already crowded courtyard. Agron watched, still in stunned shock, Nasir disappear into the crowd and towards the school, away from the gasping Crixus who was now just starting to get up.

Agron was torn between the stranger and his somewhat friend and, after a moment's hesitation, hurried after Nasir.

xXx

Nasir hurried into the building as fast he could without running but he didn't know his way and only randomly turned down a hallway, trying to find a bathroom or the library or anywhere where he could hide and get away from that asshole. This was definitely not how he pictured his first day at East Solace High to start. He always knew it would be bad, of course, as the preppy shits here were monsters hidden in designer jeans and pretty vehicles but not this intolerant. Seriously, the dude freaked out about his fucking hair.

Controlling his respirations, Nasir went up a couple of staircases and looking around, found himself luckily in front of a library. The smell of books and multiple computers enveloped him as he walked into the large space, mostly vacant of people except for a librarian typing behind a computer and two students flicking through magazines while whispering to each other but he didn't mind, enjoying the solitude as he always had. Even though he had never been in here before, it was refuge.

Nasir, who had nothing else to do for the next twenty minutes until the bell rang for first period, began skimming the shelves of books, magazines, dictionaries, and almanacs. It was true that more than half didn't interest him but just the presence of written word surround him was a comfort, a place where he wouldn't be judged, ridiculed, or criticized with a dirty look simply because he wore the same hoodie two days in a row or that his right shoe had a hole in it. A place where he could simply be himself and that was good enough.

He knew he wasn't popular, even at his old school, and Nasir kept telling himself that he didn't mind. The mean jokes were just revealing to him that he was above their immaturity; the pranks and teases simply a way to provoke a reaction in him that would bring him down to their level; and that everything else which happened to him was so when he was by himself, the loneliness just that more heavier. He didn't mind, he didn't need anyone, he just needed his books, his writings, and his own unbridled thoughts.

Nasir heard footsteps behind him and his heart missed a beat as he imagined the asshole from before finally catching up, ready to enact revenge. They were away a little ways away from the main door where the librarian and two other students were, deep in the archives, but if he started a commotion, there was no doubt they could hear it. When he turned around, pivoting on his heels so he could fling himself in out of the way of a punch if needed, he was surprised to find someone else there.

The first thing Nasir noticed was his height. There was tall but then there was tall where it made him acutely aware of his own depravation in stature, which slightly irked Nasir. Like the asshole from before, he was well muscled and broad of shoulder but he didn't gloat it as much. Yes, his black shirt was V-neck and revealed the rise of impressive pectoral muscles but it wasn't like he was trying – plus, he still had his sleeves sown on. He had a handsome face, strengthened by dark, styled hair, a firm jawline, a thin mouth, and a faint layer of stubble that no high schooler should be able to grow but somehow he did. Though what really caught Nasir's attention was the young man's eyes – he had never seen such a color of green. They reminded him of the color of leaves just before fall, where they were just beginning to fade form deep emerald to light beryl. Bright and alluring, they grabbed Nasir and dared to drown him in their depths.

"Damn – you're fast," the young man said, slightly panting. He flashed a grin that revealed white teeth and impressive dimples. "I thought I'd lost you for a moment but then I heard your steps on the stairs so I figured you were heading for the library. Good choice – Crixus would never think of coming up here. Now that I think about it…he probably has never even opened a book before in his life." He was talking really fast and almost as if he couldn't stop himself.

Nasir tore himself away from the young man's intense eyes and frowned while staring at his nose, which was also damningly nice. "Why are you following me? Trying to finish what your friend couldn't?"

The man put up his hands in a defensive gesture, seriousness displacing the smile and deepening the green of his eyes. "No, no, no! I…I just wanted to apologize for what Crixus – the dude you sent to the ground like a badass, I might add – said and did. I want to say he's usually not a complete douche and asshole but that would by lying as he pretty much is all the time; I'd pictured knocking some sense into him from time to time as well but just never did it."

"Apology not accepted but thanks for the attempt anyway," said Nasir and started to turn. "You can go away now."

"Wait!"

A hand fell upon his shoulder.

Nasir snapped a look at the young man, narrowing his eyes threateningly in a way that showed he wouldn't be afraid to do exactly the same to him as he did this Crixus if he didn't let go. The hand promptly released its hold and the guy stuffed his hands into his pockets and raised his eyebrows while bobbing his head pointedly; he looked ridiculous. "There, see – no hands. Even if I wanted to do something, which I don't, you could defend yourself, which you won't have to, not from me anyway." He sighed. "Sorry, I'm usually not this weird. I'm Agron."

"I don't care who you are, just go away," said Nasir forcefully, not really understanding the dude in front of him. He'd already said the usually garbage that some people say to help ease their guilt and make them feel better about themselves so they can go on with their lives in relative peace while Nasir's sucked constantly, but Agron was not giving up. "Just go back to your friend and we'll call it even."

"Crixus isn't really my friend."

"Really?" Nasir asked, incredulous. "So you just go apologizing on random people's behalves because you're what? Bored? Just that much of a good person? A saint?"

"I think it's a combination of all three, really," joked Agron but he quickly added as he saw Nasir's expression darken. "Okay, so he's technically a friend but I don't like him much. I mostly keep him around because he doesn't require much in return conversation, simply going off on his own tangent and never shutting up unless told to do so, which is often."

Agron grinned again, making his whole face appear younger. Nasir forced himself not to return the gesture though his lips tugged at the corners slightly as if he automatically wanted to mirror the brightness of the boy's in front of him. "You speak as if you control him, like he's a pet of yours that you keep on a leash and allow him to be with you as if it's some great privilege," stated Nasir bluntly, tightening his hands into fists to keep them from shaking as his body was wanted to do when confronted with long social conversations. "Are you really that arrogant?"

"What? No – I just meant, I was just saying, I'm – I'm the star member of the football team, I have a nice car, and my dad does a lot with the Church and the people all love me here as –," started Agron but was interrupted as Nasir suddenly stepped forward and grabbed his jaw in a tight hold and brought him down to his level, shoulders bent. Green met brown, emerald saw cinnamon, rich took in poor, and alone in popularity was revealed to loneliness in isolation.

Nasir was silent for a moment, trying to calm the storming rage inside of his chest at Agron's words. Star of the football team. Nice vehicle. Dad's with the Church. People's love. Everything Nasir didn't have and, at one time or another, desired. It was guys like Agron who really made him angry, the ones who had everything handed to them on a golden platter and just expected that to continue without any contributions of their own.

"Agron," Nasir started slowly, not looking away from Agron's frustratingly green eyes. "I don't fucking care. You may think you're special for being able to throw a ball or spend your daddy's money but I don't. I'm not like the other kids in high school; I don't care about being popular or liked and I certainly don't need to make sure you like me. No, I think you're just as bad as your asshole friend, Crixus. You may not have called me a fag or a dyke or tried to beat me up but standing to the side and watching is just as bad, maybe even worse as you knew you could stop it. So just leave me the fuck alone."

Nasir released him with a jerk just as the bell rang. Without looking at him, he walked around Agron's wide form and hurried back to the entrance of the library. He walked quickly though not because he cared if he was late or not; he was trying to run away from the warmth of Agron's face against his hand and the brightness of his green eyes.


End file.
